Network Questions Before I Buy :) Thanks in advance!!!

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 20, 2006 Posts: 2

I am most likely going to get this, but I've been trying to figure a couple things out before I subscribe (vonage could not tell me)

OK, I want to use my old router if possible, its a linksys wrt45g (wireless G router) or something like that with latest firmware. My question is, if I get the free RTP300 can I use this as a bridge on the inside of my network, using port forwarding? OR would I have to totally replace my existing router.

Also, Is there anyone who uses news groups or anything like that, which will pretty much max out the download bandwidth on the line, and if so does it effect the voice quality. Or, could I use a QoS packet schedular built into the router to rectify this. And anyone know what the up down requirement for this service is?

Posts: 1125 · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:32 pm Post subject:

YES YES YES. We'll wait for NateHoy to answer you on this, as he will tell you this is the preferred setup, using a REAL router in front of the Vonage device will give you great performance.

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

And while you're waiting for Nate, read some of his stuff here. To answer a couple of your other questions, the RTP300 can be used as a bridge or you can use it as a phone adapter and nothing more, if your router has enough ports for the RTP and for all your wired computers as well.

Posts: 533

skillet wrote:

I am most likely going to get this, but I've been trying to figure a couple things out before I subscribe (vonage could not tell me)

OK, I want to use my old router if possible, its a linksys wrt45g (wireless G router) or something like that with latest firmware. My question is, if I get the free RTP300 can I use this as a bridge on the inside of my network, using port forwarding? OR would I have to totally replace my existing router.

Also, Is there anyone who uses news groups or anything like that, which will pretty much max out the download bandwidth on the line, and if so does it effect the voice quality. Or, could I use a QoS packet schedular built into the router to rectify this. And anyone know what the up down requirement for this service is?

You can put your wireless router in front of or in back of the RPT300, whichever you prefer, actually the one closest to your Internet connection should be the one with the best QoS control. The RTP300 has some QoS, but I have no idea what the WRT45G can do, so compare them when you get the RTP300. Personally, I have a Cisco 1700, so that is the one in front (closest to the Internet) and everything else is behind that - wireless router and the RTP300.

For the best voice quality, you'll need to make sure you have 90Kbps available (up and down).

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:29 am Post subject:

I'll chime in on this one--

Definitely keep the WRT54G router! It's a MUCH better router than the RTP300, and has wireless to boot!

My current setup is like this:

[DSL modem]--->[WRT54GS]--------[RTP300]
+-------[Computers]

So the RTP300's sole purpose in life here is to provide me with phone service, no computers connected to it, nor any routing done by it. It's helpful to enable Remote Router Access. to do this:

1) Plug a computer into the RTP300 (this is temporary, doesn't need to stay there)
2) point your web browswer to http://192.168.15.1/
3) sign onto it. username: admin, password: admin (I think, been forever since I ran mine defaulted)
3a) This probably wouldn't be a bad time to give your Vonage adapter a static IP of its own. Then when you go looking for it remotely, it'll always be where you left it!

4) Click on the Administration tab
5) change the password. It won't let you run remote access with the password defaulted
6) Enable Remote Router Access and make note of the port. Port 80 works quite nicely.
7) click Save Changes and there you go. Plug the computer back into the WRT54G where it belongs and you're ready to go.

To access the Vonage router in the future, go to http://<vonage-router-ip> from any computer attached to the WRT54G and you're there.

Posts: 185 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Dec 18, 2005 Posts: 185

I still say for most people your setup should be
DSL/Cable Modem -> RTP300 -> WRT54G -> Nodes

The QoS setup on the RTP300 is setup specifically to prioritize voice traffic 10:1 over other traffic, and if you set it up the other way, high bandwidth usage by devices connected to your WRT54G will drastically affect your call quality. I know some out there disagree with me, but if you start having audio problems connected his way, try mine. BTW, if you call Tech support with audio issues, this is the first thing they will do.

Posts: 2257

skillet wrote:

I am most likely going to get this, but I've been trying to figure a couple things out before I subscribe (vonage could not tell me)

OK, I want to use my old router if possible, its a linksys wrt45g (wireless G router) or something like that with latest firmware. My question is, if I get the free RTP300 can I use this as a bridge on the inside of my network, using port forwarding? OR would I have to totally replace my existing router.

Also, Is there anyone who uses news groups or anything like that, which will pretty much max out the download bandwidth on the line, and if so does it effect the voice quality. Or, could I use a QoS packet schedular built into the router to rectify this. And anyone know what the up down requirement for this service is?

The QoS in the RTP300 works some of the time, and it doesn't work some of the time. If it works for you, then consider yourself one of the Lucky Ones and use it, if you prefer. Obviously, given Datahazard's note, the QoS is working well for him, which is great. I've also helped out a lot of people for whom it does not work at all.

Personally, I have the wireless variant of the RTP300 (the WRTP54G) and the QoS was utterly useless on my connection. I believe it is because the router is unable to calculate how much data can be sent from me to my ISP (my "upstream" speed).

Simple test is to upload a large file to a web site or FTP server, then call someone while the upload is happening, If they complain about bad or choppy audio, then you have a problem. And unlike many routers, the RTP300 does not allow you to fix QoS issues - it has no place to manually override the upstream speed calculation if it happens to be wrong.

However, read the article below - QoS will not help you on the "inbound" audio, because it only prioritizes outbound data. You'll have to get a newsgroup reader that can throttle downloads, and reserve 90K for Vonage.

http://vonage.nmhoy.net/qos.html

So, after months of frustration over that and the router crashing due to P2P defects in the firmware, I went out and bought a WRT54G (the "real" router several people have alluded to) and put aftermarket firmware on it (HyperWRT Tofu), and disabled the wireless on my WRTP54G and relegated it to Vonage duty ONLY.

My calls became clearer instantly. My network stays up for weeks at a time, even under constant heavy P2P load. And tuned and working QoS means my Vonage calls are ALWAYS clear, no matter what else is running on my connection at the time. I'm on a very limited 256k upstream, and

http://vonage.nmhoy.net/wrt54glqos.html

Now, your experience may vary on this. If the RTP300's QoS actually works for you, then you can decide which device you want out front. But in all honesty, my generally-preferred method is to put the Vonage devices BEHIND a router you control. That way, a new firmware upgrade from Vonage won't bring down your LAN. Only your Vonage line.

Obviously, there are differing opinions on that. One possible way to configure it is with the RTP300 out front, and your WRT54G router set with a manual upstream of tested upstream bandwidth minus 90k for Vonage. That would "reserve" 90k for Vonage and give you working QoS if the RTP300's QoS doesn't work for you but you want it out front.

http://vonage.nmhoy.net/wrt54gl.html

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 20, 2006 Posts: 2

WOW !!! great info!! thanks all who helped with this, I think I'm going to try to keep the 300 on the inside of my network, and try to run QoS off the WRT54G first, if that does'nt work I think I'll try that after market firmware!!!

Anyone know if there are problems getting calls at all when you have your download at the max?

Posts: 276 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 276

Nate, my setup has the Motorola SB5100 --> Linksys WRT54G --> RTP300. My WRT54G is a couple years old but running along great.

I noticed today that it still has firmware version 1.42 on it. I realized that I have never upgraded the firmware, which is already at version 1.55 already. I guess I should upgrade it, huh? Lol

Should I use the download Linksys has on its firmware upgrade site or the aftermarket firmware you used? If the latter, do you know where I can get it?

Posts: 276 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 276

I began to wonder why I even still have my WRT54G connected at all. Because my laptop is attached to a docking station on my office desk 99.9% of the time, its wired to the Internet via a Netgear XE102 powerline ethernet adapter. I don't do wireless anymore since there really isn't a need to do so. Therefore, I really don't need my WRT54G.

Last night, I began to experience very choppy audio when talking to a buddy of mine in California. It got so bad I couldn't hear 50% of what he was saying. I wonder if I ditch my WRT54G altogether and use my RTP300 directly, will this choppy audio disappear?

Any thoughts, Nate?